Posted on Wednesday 15th September 2021
How the Eastgate development could look
Three interlinked regeneration programmes in Stafford will support the town’s revitalisation in the coming years and its post-pandemic recovery.
Today the county council’s cabinet gave its full backing of the schemes which are being delivered with Stafford Borough Council. Together they will bring hundreds of new homes, business development and jobs to Stafford, in addition to millions of pounds in private investment.
The schemes – Eastgate regeneration, Stafford Gateway and Future High Streets programme – have been carefully planned and developed in recent years and will play a vital part in the town’s post-pandemic recovery.
The Eastgate regenerations programme will see vacant and underused buildings transformed into residential, employment and commercial space and provide an active link between the town centre and Riverside retail area. Work has started this week to demolish the former magistrates court and probation service buildings between Eastgate Street and South Walls, making way for new development.
The Stafford Future High Streets Programme will help to regenerate the town centre and include refurbishment and reuse of existing buildings as well as improvements to the Market Square and surrounding streets.
The Stafford Station Gateway Masterplan will see the area west of the station comprehensively redeveloped with a combination of residential, workspace, commercial and leisure development. It will capitalise on the station’s new HS2 compatible services and existing rail links.
As a result of the schemes around 1,400 new homes will be built and over 210,000 square feet of new commercial and leisure floorspace created, bringing in new residents and visitors. They are being complemented by other major regeneration schemes including the Victoria Park renovation, Stafford Western Access Route and the Shire Hall project, where a new enterprise space will be located.
Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said:
We continue to work closely with Stafford Borough Council on a range of interlinked projects which will really transform and strengthen the county town in the coming years.
These projects have been carefully planned with partners in recognition that our town centres are changing, reflecting our developing economy and recovery from the pandemic.
This is an exciting time for Stafford. These three regeneration projects are in addition to those recently completed or nearing completion. We look forward to playing a key role in bringing them forward.”
Frances Beatty, cabinet member for economic development and planning at Stafford Borough Council, said:
There is significant investment taking place in and around our town centre and it is great to see how all the projects that are coming to fruition, getting underway, or in the pipeline are linked as part of an overall plan to make our County Town a destination of choice for those who want to live, work, visit, spend their leisure or retail time or even set up a business.
The schemes demonstrate how important the borough and county council partnership work is in bringing millions of pounds of investment to our area.”